Blinded Rivalry
by toolinyourshed
Summary: He left me. I risked everything for him and he left me. I loved you Sasuketeme and you killed me. I am nothing like I was before can you get me back? SasuNaru and InoSaku. Many more.
1. The Beginning

Blinded Rivalry

As usual the three members of team 7 got to the bridge on time sans sensei. Two hours later and still no sign of their silver haired perverted Jounin sensei. Nothing. Great. After various attempts to get something out of the Uchiha, rather than the usual;

"Hn." The pink haired kunoichi gave up. Naruto was getting really annoyed at this.

'Can she ever stop flirting with the human ice-block for once? God. She's a shinobi for crying out loud.' The usually loud blond thinks as he watches his pink haired comrade give up finally. The kyubbi vessel had not spoken a word to the stoic Uchiha since his return from Sound.

'Why? Why should he try?He was the one that decided to leave us. He didn't care. Why should I?' Was all that went through his mind as he glared at the Uchiha.

This was going to be their first training day since "his" departure. They haven't spoken a word to each other. Sakura stopped speaking to him right after he brought Sasuke back, figures..that's all she wanted. He'd gotten over his crush on her a long time ago. Sasuke was accepted back to Konohagakure because of his prestigious Uchiha bloodline. But there is not one day when Naruto's mind does not linger on the clash of the Valley of the End. He was willing to give up his life his dreams of being Hokage for the bastard and nobody cared.

No one had seen the Uzumaki patented smile since then. It seems to have dissipated. Nothing. All he does is train until his body is sore and aching, until his blood and muscles stop moving. Sometimes the fox speaks to him.

"**Hey, kit why do you train so? Is it worth it**?"And the blue eyed blond just ignores it and continues. Sometimes he can't help but think he is the demon mascara ding as a boy. Tsunade has tried talking some sense into him, telling him he will slowly kill himself if he continues like this. But it doesn't matter. Then suddenly the quiet blue eyed blond is taken out of his thoughts by the arrival of the jounin.

"Yo, Hello." He simply states to his newly reformed team, or what's left of it.

"You're late!" Says the lonely Sakura. No Naruto, no loudness, no nothing.

"Oh, I'm sorry I was just gathering some people for our training session today." At this both of the other quiet boys look up.

"It seems that today we will be joined by Asuma's team for joint training." States the jounin simply as said team arrives at team seven's training field.

"We will begin with a simple sparring match, hand to hand combat." Says Asuma taking a long drag from his cigarette.

"Shikamaru will go spar Naruto first, we will all watch until the conclusion of the first match." Explained Kakashi as he signaled at them.

"How troublesome." Muttered the bored, sleepy looking shinobi.

"Whatever, let's get this over with." Said a very annoyed looking Naruto.

Everyone stared and looked at him for the first time. This wasn't the same Naruto. He wasn't wearing his normal orange jumpsuit. He was wearing black pants that hung low over his waist and a visible fishnet shirt with a red top on and black ankle high combat boots. His village head band was tied loosely around his neck and his expression was that of cold indifference even Shikamaru looked shocked at his appearance and response. Naruto had already taken his fighting stance in front of him and for the first time the village genius didn't know what to expect.

Everyone stared even the startled Uchiha.

"Well, then are we just going to stand here all day?" Said the very bored looking blond motioning for the shadow wielder to make a move.

'Okay, since when does Naruto invite his opponent to begin?' The shadow wielder thought surprised.

The blond untied his head band from his neck and tied it around his forehead an action that wasn't missed by the stunned Uchiha.

"Well, Nara are you going to start or should I?" He said and took that as a no so he commenced.

Naruto was too quick, moving swiftly around his target disappearing and reappearing a breath away from him only to grab him from the neck and push him a few feet away harshly with the palm of his hand. Before Shikamaru even knew what was happening he found himself in a very intense match. Barely blocking kicks here and there. He was getting really exhausted too soon for his liking. He had to think of something but nothing came to mind. The kyubbi was just too quick in his movements it seemed he was fighting as a life and death match which unnerved him to no end. After a few minutes of this he hit the floor panting and was punched in the face by a very angry looking blond then everything went black. Naruto walked away from the very beat up looking shadow wielder and looked up at everyone. Everyone including the senseis looked at him as if he was a lunatic.

"What the hell is wrong with you Naruto? You could of killed Shika!" Said a very pissed off Yamanaka.

"Kakashi-sensei did you not say it was hand to hand combat?" He asked coldly.

"Yes, but...she's right Naruto ." Said a very stunned Kakashi.

He shrugged off his sensei's last comment and went to lean against a tree near a very shocked looking Uchiha. The other matches concluded without problem until it was time for Naruto to face off against the Uchiha.

"This time I wont hold back." He said anger dripping on every word as the opponents faced each other.

Everyone excluding the Uchiha cringed at this.

"I wasn't expecting you to, dobe." Said the overconfident Uchiha.

The tension could be felt in the air. At this Naruto again placed his head band around his forehead. Not another word was uttered as the match commenced. The Uchiha moved at a quick pace trying to dodge Naruto's every move, only succeeding dodging one of his painful kicks. He managed to capture Naruto's fist in his hand but was surprised when the other quickly switched their positions. His arm was twisted around his back and he was kicked harshly in the face to the floor by a very pissed off blond. He tried to sit up but he found out he couldn't. There was a very pissed off blond straddling his hips keeping him in place. He felt a hard breath ghost near his ear.

"You think, you're the only one that hurts every day, Uchiha?!"The blond dangerously whispered in his ear as his wrists started to hurt. He looked up at his captor .

His eyes were blood red, crimson as anger and anguish filled them. The face contorted in pain and hurt. The whisker marks dangerously dark as his jaw stretched and small sharp fangs emerged. He looked to his aching wrists and they were bleeding from the angered hold, claws drawing blood.

"Naru..to?" The Uchiha asked fear and pain visible on his face.

"Yes, Sasuke?" Said the pain filled voice.

"You're not him. Where's he ?This isn't you. Who are you?"Asked the Uchiha very concerned.

"No, you're right this isn't him. You killed that idiot when you left. You killed him and everything he stood for. I am not the weak Naruto Uzumaki you used to know. Not now not ever again." Naruto spat in his face anger and hurt never leaving his features.

Sasuke was shocked.

"Why?Naruto...you didn't have to care. Why did you?" He whispered this to the angered being in front of him, at this those cold red orbs became blue, dull blue.

"You don't know do you? Nor, will you ever." The broken down voice of his friend seemed so faraway as he said this. No more claws no more fangs just Naruto. Broken Naruto. The warm weight on top of him disappears as the blond stands up and walks away from him. Leaving a very confused and hurt Uchiha behind. Everyone seemed to be still fearful of him, they said nothing.

"Kakashi-sensei, I am calling it a day." He says his voice dull and slow as he walks away from the training field leaving a trail of blood and hurt as his physical wounds start to heal and the others cut through his soul even more.

"Oh, Sasuke-kun, what did that freak do to you?" Her voice shrill and faking sugar sweet broke his thoughts as he stood up. He didn't say anything.

He couldn't say anything. His voice was caught in his throat. He only watched as the only person he ever cared about walked away from him.

"Kakashi? I am not feeling well at the moment. Can we call it a day?" I said as I mustered up all I could to talk.

"Sure." Was his simple response as everyone was still trying to figure out what happened. He knew where he wanted to go. He left as fast as he could going to find Naruto. He thought it'd be easy since he was always at Ichiraku's so there wouldn't be any problem. He walked into the little ramen stand and was stunned to find that Naruto wasn't there.

"Hey, old man." He said as he caught the attention of the owner.

"Yes?" The old man asked in question.

"Have you seen Naruto around here?" The old man just looked at me weird.

"No, I haven't seen him around. He used to be one of my best customers but, I haven't seen him ages." Said the old man before I walked out.

Naruto loves ramen and yet he hasn't been here in a long while. The Uchiha's concern grew even more. He walked through the streets of Konoha seemingly lost in thought about a certain blond shinobi when he bumped into someone.

"Oh, sorry." He said distractedly as he noticed who it was he bumped into.

"Oh, it's you Uchiha." The long haired brunet said, his voice calm and collected. Before the Hyuga could leave Sasuke stopped him.

"Hey, Hyuga?" He asked before the other could leave.

"Yes?" Said the collected brunet.

"Have you seen Naruto by any chance?" He said without thinking.

"Yes, I have. He's out by the lake training. Although I would advice not to interrupt him." The Hyuga says matter-a-factly.

"Thanks." Is all he mutters as he makes his way to the lake.

He masks his chakra so as not to be discovered and finds a spot near a tree to spy on the blond.

He sits there perched on the tree watching the blond intently. There are seven shadow clones attacking him from every direction giving him no time to form a battle strategy. He is standing on the lake fighting off shadow clones weaponless, taijutsu only which amazes Sasuke to no end. Every clone comes at him kunai in hand. Attacking and slashing at his clothing, showering blood on the lake. The blond clearly is in no condition to fight anymore but he stubbornly pushes his body to move. After that sparring session he practices shuriken jutsu and chakra control. His body is barely healing and his hands are marred in blood but he keeps at it. Then he sees the blond shudder and slip against a tree. Knees against his chest, face in his hands. He's shaking, crying?Then a red chakra leaves him and there is a young girl there sitting next to him comforting him like a mother would a child.

"**Why do you care for him still, child? Why can you not acknowledge that he left you?He doesn't care."** Said the voice of the young girl sympathetically.

"Why?! Why?!You should know why, Yubbi. I love him." As Sasuke heard this he almost lost his balance.

"**This love that you speak of is destroying you. Have you not noticed? Your emotions no longer help me heal your physical wounds. You are slowly dying."** As she said this the young girl embraced the crying blond boy.

"Yubbi, I would rather die than live in a world where I know he will never care for me the way I care for him."

"**Oh, Naru-kun you give so much and get nothing in return. Why can they not see what I see everyday?"** The young girl cried and hugged him close.

"**Oh, Naru-kun if I could I would make all the pain go away."** She stroked his cheeks smiling at him.

"If I died do you think anyone would miss me Yubbi-chan?" She looked saddened at this and then the red chakra receded into the blue eyed blond as foot-steps approached the boy. He didn't look up. He just sat there defeated waiting for another assassination attempt.

"I would." Was all Naruto heard before he was enveloped in an embrace.

He was here. Was it a dream? Was he dead? No this felt too real. He looked up and saw intense onyx eyes looking at him, truth wrapped in raw emotion.

"Sasu..ke?" The blond asked unsure if this was a trick of the mind or not.

"I'm here, dobe." Said the voice of the Uchiha.

"Don't ever leave me again, teme." Said the blond as he pressed his body against his lover's.

"I wont, dobe not now not ever." Said the Uchiha and to back up his words leaned in and pressed a chaste kiss on those pink lips.

"I love you too much." Whispered the Uchiha as he wrapped his arms around his lover and fell asleep then and there. Tomorrow would be another day. A day that would start their lives again. No more sorrow, no more sadness. They had each other.

'I love you Naruto -kun.'


	2. The Objective

Chapter 2:

They woke up, the sun hitting their faces.

'Was it all a dream?'The young fox-faced boy thinks as he tries to move around realization hitting him as a pale arm snakes around him.

"Leaving so soon, Naru-chan?"Asks a boy his age a smile gracing his pale features.

"Sas-sasuke?"The kyubi vessel utters out a whisper as if speaking too loud would break the spell. "Yes?" The raven haired boy asks as he holds Naruto closer.

"Is this real?A joke?What is it?" The other boy looks away after he says this containing the sadness gripping him as the minutes pass.

"What do you mean?" Asks the sharingan wielder puzzled.

"Didn't you have, enough Sasuke?What do you want from me?There is nothing else I can give you, that I haven't tried to give you already." Says the shaking blond boy as he suddenly stands up to face the Uchiha.

Those blue eyes full of pain, exhaustion, sorrow and anger. No longer the laughing shinobi he was, no longer the Naruto Uzumaki Konohagakure knew.

"I love you Sasuke, that is true but the things you have done, not the defection of our village, but your blindness to what is visible to what was right in front of you from the very beginning. Sasuke Uchiha, I tried to be your friend. I risked everything I had and will ever have for you. And for what? To gain nothing more than a scar across the chest and rejection at its greatest. Do you have any idea how many times I remember the Valley of the End? My only friend tried to kill me to gain power. I could withstand being abused and mistreated by my own village, but you..." The blond saddened boy trails off as the Uchiha stands and looks into those blue orbs.

Every word burning scalding his heart.

"Naruto...I-I'm sorry." The words strangled within Sasuke's throat at the pain.

"Did you ever once think?I hated you so much it hurt. Why?Because in a sense, you had everything I did not. You had a chance that was given to you because you are an Uchiha, I on the other hand, am and always will be nothing more than the demon of the village. I will live the demon life and die the demon life. I am Naruto Uzumaki I don't and will never have a clan."Those sky blue eyes are distant now.

The shinobi clad in black, sunlight hair and ice blue eyes turned walking away from the only person he could ever love. Sasuke stood there as his friend, his love walked away. Then determination hit.

"I won't let you go Naruto, we are no longer children. If there is something good about the Uchiha bloodline is that we never give up on our objective. My objective is you." Said the stubborn Uchiha as he cut quickly across the path of the other shinobi, facing him and taking his hand in his.

"You have me."As the raven haired boy said this placed the kitsune's hand on his chest for a moment then bringing the hand near his lips and softly kissing the fingertips, and in a swirl of leaves he disappeared leaving a sobbing blond in his wake.

"**He wont give up, you know. Kit, he really does love you."** Yubi spoke to her holder, trying to put some sense into him.

"_You think I don't know that, Yubi? He's an Uchiha of course that bastard isn't going to give up easily. But this is something he lost so long ago."_Said Naruto as he continued walking towards his apartment.

"**Kit, you're talking like an old man, you're barely fifteen. I am over 900yrs old but yet will never understand another human as much as I do you. You have your reasons to hate him, but ask yourself why you fell in love with him in the first place?"** He smiled at this and frowned a bit.

"_I don't want to think about that right now, Yubi-kaasan."_He could see the her smiling at him from her spot in his mind.

She is the only mother he has ever known and she no longer holds hostility for her host, but has and will always see him as the son that was taken away from her long ago. Her kitsune.

"**Naru-kun, where would you be without me?"** They reached his apartment and he smiled at that.

"_You always manage make me feel like a child, Yubi-san."_ He replied as he sat down on his couch.

"**A child that was always mine. You were wrong when you said you will and would never have a clan...because my kitsune after all these years..."**The fox trailed off sadness in her voice and a look of sorrow and uncertainty.

"_What is it Yubi-kaasan?"___Asked the young boy, worried about the tone in her voice.

"**Will you still love me, my child?"**Asked the anguished motherly voice of the fox.

"_Yes, you know I will, mother. What is it you have to tell me?"_Asked the puzzled voice of the blue eyed blond.

"**You remember, the day it was revealed to you, about our connection?" **She asked tentatively.

"_Yes, I do it was the day Mizuki made me steal that scroll right?When Iruka-sensei tried to stop him from telling me?"_He said, recalling the anger and confusion he felt that day.

"**The Sandaime told you also about the wishes of the Yondaime, that you be treated like a hero for incarcerating the soul of the nine tailed fox. The Sandaime, did not know one fact that I was told by The Fourth Hokage himself before he died as he sealed me into you..."**She trailed off again the pain in her heart unavailing itself in her crimson eyes.

"_What was it, Yubi-san?What did he say?"_Curiosity eating at the young boy

"**I will show you, my memories are locked away from yours, but there is the door of neutrality in your mind were our memories collide and connect, there is where you will find your answer, my son."** She finished this as the young shinobi entered their linked mind and walked toward the door.

Light enveloped him as he walked through the door. A scene beginning to form as he stood to the side.

'Kyubi-sama, I understand what this village has done to you in the past. How your son was taken so ruthlessly from you. I was sent here to stop you and murder you as the only capable shinobi the Hokage of the village hidden in the leaves, but I will not. I do not see a monster destroying our village, but a mother in sorrow of her lost child. I Arashi, will give you something dear to me and hope that you will see this as token of apology. My life may end today as I give you my only son. You will be sealed within him, but my hope is that you raise him as your own.' The Fourth's aristocratic features were strone in agony and loss as both breath and child were denied him, that day.

Naruto wanted nothing more than to embrace this man he admired him for years and now even more, his father had given everything for his village, his son and life. Pain gripped the young boy's heart as he saw his father fade and die. The boy always wondered why no one in the village looked like him and now he knew. He took after his father. The blue eyes the stunning blond hair. He truly was the son of the Yondaime. As he walked out of the door, he whispered a promise.

"Father, I will make you proud. I will become Hokage of the village hidden in the leaves." Tears marred his vision as he closed the door.

"_Yubi-kaasan, can you..hold me?"_ Asked the shuddering boy. Yubi-san looked down at her kitsune and smiled of happiness and joy as she embraced her son.

"_Why now?Yubi-san why do I know this until now?"_ He asked as she held him against her.

"**The reason, for that is what I saw in his soul, before he was taken...he let me see. Arashi-sama was one of the most powerful Hokage for more than one reason. His power might have rivaled mine. Have you ever wondered why, there is not one soul you have ever met, that have the exact same eyes as you? The reason for that, my kitsune is that of your own bloodline limit."** The fox finished this and smiled at the reaction on her son's face.

He stared at her, gaping unbelievingly.

"_But, kaasan I'm not...I mean he wasn't known to have keke-genkai. He was amazing yes, but all that is known about his abilities was that his speed was incredible but never a bloodline..." _

"**That is because he was the first in his clan to develop it, his clan was not known to have any special traits and they never knew. He first used it unknowingly in battle when he was fifteen years old. To everyone else in the shinobi world it does not exist, but to us demons and nether beings it is known as 'the aphotic doce sight' or 'aphoticdosit.' One of the first keke-genkai and the most powerful too."**She smiled at his gaping mouth.

"_But..but how do you know I have it?What does it actually do?"_He asked still scared to know the answers.

"**I know this because..I saw the same in your soul when I was sealed within you. In the name of this ability lies half of the answer; aphotic means dark, doce in Spanish means twelve or the number of hell converted into a haven of sanctity which combined with sight means to see the good and evil within. Speed is the key to unlocking it, once you have mastered the level of speed in which you can see the line separating two worlds from each other then you have mastered the first stage; The Prime:aphoticdosit which allows you to wave the law of time for the period in which you stay straddling the line-"**She was cut off by a hurried question from the blond.

"_Yubi-kaasan?What stage did father reach?"_He asked wanting to know more than anything.

"**Arashi-sama had mastered the first step to its fullest when he died..."** Yubi trailed off then trying not to bring sad memories to her kitsune.

"_What do you mean 'to its fullest'?"_ He asked still confused and stunned. 

"**What I mean, Naru-kun is he could control time to his advantage for at least fifteen minutes, which is one of the greatest feats...because you see, staying within the confines of two worlds at the same moment in time can tear through the mind, soul and flesh if control is not found. Now moving on. The second stage;The Center:aphoticdosit. This stage is...what some might call willing suicide, why?Because, this can only be reached risking one's own mortality for another; a precious being. This is called 'The Center' for the purpose of this stage..." **The fox stopped at this unsure if she should go on or not.

"_What is the purpose of this stage, kaasan?_" Asked the curious blond.

"**You remember when you met the branch clan member Hyuuga Neji? Well, his ability just barely graces the surface of your own potential. The byakugan has a total line of 360****° vision whilst yours can reach beyond that, not only seeing what is impossible for a Hyuuga but also being able to break and shatter the Mangekyo Sharingan of the Uchiha clan." **This shocked Naruto even more than anything he had learned _today. _

"_But...that is impossible. Why, why is it called 'the center' Yubi-san?" _He asked still not willing to believe.

"**The reason for that is that this ability does not need an excessive use of chakra energy but uses the soul as a source, the core of a being. 'The Center' and by risking this mortality of yours, your vision increases and your own life source changes. A sacrifice that only one of a pure heart would make willingly for...true love. By making this sacrifice your life is no longer that of a mere mortal and in turn you take the gift of chance renewal. Your humanity dies but your soul is reborn again; holy reanimation. Naruto-kun when the center is reached you reach the power of a half demon. Half human and half demon a gift from both the heavens and the netherworld. Evil and good combined; doce."**She pauses to let him take this information in.

"_Yubi-san you mean..he would have lived, had he reached this stage?Why?Why couldn't he..why didn't he?And now I am the only one left.No one else..."_He finished the sadness and regret visible in his eyes.

"**Kit, don't ever regret being alive. Never. Your father the Fourth Hokage of the village hidden in the leaves gave his life for your own don't question his decision. He loved you more than anything in the world and now you will make him proud."**She scolded her son knowing his father would have never wanted this feeling to take over his own child's heart.

"_I won't Yubi-kaasan but once I reach this stage what will happen to you?"_He said simply remembering his promise. 

"**That is for you to decide my kitsune, your decision alone will decide my path, whether I live or die is what you make it."**She finished this statement sadness seeping into her otherworldly features.

"_I won't let you die, I wont let you fade mother. You will live that is my solemn vow. This seal may be what connects us now but there is more. When I change you will not perish but live to be known as the mother of the future Roukadaime."_Her son spoke embracing her as he smiled.

"**You are your father's son. Never in the world will there be another Naruto Uzumaki."**She said this as tears fell from her crimson eyes.

"**For now this will be enough to know. I will train you myself my kitsune. You will become stronger. We still have the Akatsuki to worry about...But we will be ready for them. Your speed is increasing everyday but it is not at its greatest yet, we will have to improve it if you are to defeat them."**He grinned his trademark fox grin and she smiled down at him.

"I will, make father proud. I won't let them take you from me Yubi-kaasan. I will kill them if they try." He smiled genuinely this time. His first smile in years.


	3. The Realization

**The Realization**

He watched the boy he grew up with and scoffed at do nothing but train as if in trance. He talked to no one and not one soul bothered with him. For the first time Uchiha Sasuke realized how alone the laughing blond shinobi had once been and still was. Although The Rescue Five had once been a team for his own return the stubborn blond spoke to no one of the village Hidden In The Leaves. The only other soul the lone Uchiha had seen him utter a word to was the Kazekage of The Village Hidden in The Sand; Sabaku no Gaara and this both sparked curiosity in him and disturbed him to no end.

"Are you sure this is what you want to do, Naruto-kun?" Spoke none other than Sabaku no Gaara the Kazekage of the Village Hidden in The Sand.

"You know me, Gaara-kun I never go back on my word." Spoke the unusually pensive blond.

"If I was someone else then I wouldn't even bother with you, but I know you Naruto-san you're not well at all are you?" Inquired the now 15year old aristocratic red head, the murderous smile was gone now replaced instead by a blank or pensive demeanor.

Sabaku no Gaara was the only other living soul to have known or experienced the life of a demon within a human's body Naruto's only friend.

"It's nothing Gaara-san." Said Naruto.

"It's the Uchiha, I can see it in your eyes." The red-head spoke slowly but still hit the nail on the head hard.

They were standing under a Sakura tree and Gaara-san surprised Naruto by grasping his hand and pulling the stunned blond down to the grass to sit under the tree.

"He's hurt you again." His voice was soft as he said this almost as if contemplating on something. The bothered blond looked away from the red head as they sat.

"There are somethings that never change Naruto-kun." Said Gaara as he took Naruto's hand in his again. The blue eyed blond looked into those teal eyes boring into him.

"I can't...he doesn't understand he thinks its just a game." His now matured voice cut through the air.

"The day of the chunnin exams when I fought the Uchiha, there was one thing I understood about him and the reason why I chose him to kill, when my father sealed The Shukaku jinchiruuki inside me, his whole objective was power and for that he would sacrifice his own son. To me even as The Shukaku ate at my very soul, this Uchiha was no better than father. I saw the same in his eyes. Even as I battled you I knew his rage and thirst for power could no longer be held within. 'I will protect those who are precious to me even if I have to kill you.' Those words when you said them I realized that he meant more to you than anything, after that day I was jealous that for someone so hated and treated as the demon held within you still cared enough to put your life on the line for someone who treated you as the lesser being. The day I heard how the Uchiha almost did away with your life for the sake of power all I wanted was to track and kill the idiot. But even as the rage built within me I knew, I found out why I felt the need to protect someone for the first time in my life, I had a purpose. I loved you Uzumaki Naruto." The Kazekage finished and turned to stare into the pools of blue.

The blond was left speechless then a delicate pale hand grasped his and then he felt a soft feather light touch on his hand. He kissed it. Soft fingertips caressed his cheek and traced the whisker like marks on his cheeks.

"Help me forget." Was all the blond whispered into the redheads ear as the inches apart disappeared and their lips touched. Gaara nipped and bit gently at Naruto's lower lip for entrance that the blond gladly granted.

The red head smiled for the first time and was drugged by the love of his life. Naruto's arms came around The Kazekage's neck and as he did so the sand swirled around them shielding them from vision but never once hurting Naruto. Gaara's arms came around the blond's waist and pulled them closer.

"Naru..to." The Kazekage whispered his name stuttering for the first time in his life, happy and in love. The sand moved around caressing their skin as their kiss deepened, Gaara traced a trail of butterfly kisses down his lover's neck finding a pulse and biting softly making the other moan.

The Uchiha's murderous jealousy could be felt from miles away but the two soon-to be lovers didn't detect a single thing as they walked off hand in hand leaving a very pissed off shinobi in their wake.

"I won't let him have you Naruto." The raven spoke out angrily as he swiftly followed the couple into team 7's vacant training ground.

He watched as his kitsune cradled himself against the redhead and they sat there.

"I can't promise you a future Gaara-kun I just can't, but I can try..." The blond trailed off taking in the paler boy's sent as they sat in a comfortable silence.

"I could never ask anything more than that, all I want is for you to be happy even if it means it doesn't end up being me, but I won't let him hurt you again, Naruto never again." The red head whispered and the raven listened intently feeling entirely like scum.

His intention was to beat the living snot out of Gaara but now he understood they shared something in common. The love for Naruto and that bound them with an invisible thread. He watched as the red head held the silently sobbing blond against him. It was a feeling he couldn't explain. He wasn't angry at the Kazekage anymore. He wasn't jealous as he looked on at the sight, so beautiful.

He could feel the pain of both shinobi sitting against each other. He could for once see the hidden similarities between Sabaku no Gaara and Uzumaki Naruto, the things others failed to notice. They were not superficial, they had both lead a life of solitude and isolation, both were driven by an inexplicable force to be acknowledged, in Gaara's case it was his will to exist even if it meant the destruction of others and in Naruto's case it was his will to be respected. They shared pain. They knew that word all too well and in the middle of all things they had found each other and Sasuke could only watch as his two rivals sat there together for once being loved. He felt like scum. Like the lowest of the low, how could he betray something like that? How could he even hurt someone so innocent so pure?

"I'm done, hurting you, both of you." He whispered. He knew that as he hurt Naruto he had unknowingly hurt the other boy too.

"Gaara-kun we have to find them, the Akutsuki, I won't let them kill her and you they want you..I won't let them have you." The blond spoke to the source of his worry.

"They won't, we'll find them together, we'll kill them." The red head finalized and the Uchiha made up his mind and walked out from hiding, ready to face the wrath of the two demon holders just as long as they heard what he had to say before they killed him.

"Uchiha, why so long?" Gaara addressed the surprised and puzzled raven.

The raven was surprised the Kazekage wasn't trying to kill him yet but the blond was another story. Naruto sprang to his feet at the name and wheeled around crimson eyes in glow. Then there was a muffled yelped and the kitsune was pulled back from attacking by flowing sand, he was restrained to a tree.

"What the hell Gaara call your sand off!" Naruto yelled.

"No, it seems the Uchiha here has something to tell you and I won't let you go until you listen." The red head calmly stated.

"How did you know I was here? I masked my chakra well." Sasuke asked surprised by the sudden calmness of the red head.

"You can hide your chakra all you want you have a distinct sent any demon can pick up, I'm surprised Naruto-kun didn't realize it before I did." Gaara answered blankly.

"Yubbi! Why the hell didn't you tell me?!"The blond yelled out surprising the two males.

Then there was a slight giggle and the same orange red energy flowed out of Naruto. Sasuke stared. There was a woman with long dark flowing red hair crimson eyes, fox ears and crimson slitted eyes standing besides the thrashing blond.

"Because you're as stubborn as your father, you won't listen unless someone makes you listen and I knew Gaara-kun here wasn't going to let you be that thick headed forever, isn't that right Gaara-kun?" The young looking demon spoke to the red head.

"Yes that and the idiot in my head would not shut his trap about seeing his sister." Gaara replied calmly.

"Oh so, is he ready to apologize for being a stupid little demon boy now?" The young demon fox asked.

Then there was another twirl of sand and a man no older looking than Kakashi took form in front of the boys and the powerful fox. With long black hair reaching past his knees and lighting blue eyes rimmed darker than Gaara's.

"I am not apologizing for anything! If it wasn't for me Naruto-kun would've never even met this little stoic idiot!" The man with raccoon looking lighting blue eyes and long black hair whined uncharacteristically letting down his aristocratic look.

"Shuka! You almost killed my son, you idiot and destroyed his village!" The older wiser demon scolded.

"Well you did that before, why is it such a big deal when I do it?"Was the raccoon demon's blunt reply.

"You are such an idiot, if Gaara even tells me again you have been up to your sadistic tricks, I will nuder you. He deserves sleep. He has earned sleep. You moron." The older demoness warned the younger demon.

"Fine, but tell him to at least let me kill the idiot Akatsuki people."The demon replied to his sister resigning himself to loss.

"Let me get this straight, you two are brother and sister?" The Uchiha asked puzzled and still staring unbelievingly at the sight before him.

"Unfortunately yes." The demoness answered glaring at him with a protective mother hen fire in her eyes.

"And you are the boy who broke my son's heart are you not?" The fox demon asked the pale young man.

"He is." Gaara answered after a while of long silence in which Sasuke continued to open and close his mouth repeatedly.

"Then why has he come again, Gaara-kun?" The younger of the two demons asked.

"He wishes to talk to Naruto-kun I suppose, so I'll be going now." The young Kazakage spoke a hint of sadness in his voice that was not missed by the raccoon demon.

The red head began to walk away.

"I want to talk to both of you, together." The raven's voice broke the silence and stopped the other young man in his tracks. Then the Uchiha found his throat being grasped tightly in a claw-like hold by a very angry Raccoon demon.

"If you dare break my little brother or nephew once more I will crush every bone in your body and skin you alive, you got that Uchiha?!" The young demon man threatened as a blue fire burned in his eyes.

"Yes." The pale young man replied as he was let go and unceremoniously dropped to the ground.

The red head gave his demon a weird look and proceeded to lend the fallen raven a hand. Sasuke took the pale young man's hand and couldn't believe a familiar yet unexpected feeling of heat flowing from the small contact to his entire being.

"Arigatou, Gaara-sama." Sasuke spoke as he reluctantly let go of the young man's hand immediately missing the unnatural warmth emitting from it.

The two very aware demons standing not very far away from the scene grinned. The Kazekage's eyes widened at the gesture and simple words spoken from the sharingan wielder and an inexplicable feeling overtook him. Something puzzling and he looked at his demon for answers with his eyes. All he got was a large grin that confused him more.

"I wanted to ask for your forgiveness Naruto-kun. I wanted to ask you to forgive me for being a total and complete idiot. I wanted you to know that I never once stopped thinking about you..never, I couldn't take you out of my head. I couldn't get rid of you. I felt sick with myself for trying to kill you. Not only did I hurt you but I hurt Gaara-sama, without intending to...I hurt you both. Never before did I ever feel like the scum you always told me I was. Never..."The dark haired pale man trailed off and looked away feeling a slight dampness in his eyes as he watched Naruto slump against the tree and look away from him.

He couldn't help the pain in his chest seeping through, it hurt. Outer pain he could deal with but pain he could not see was hard to even begin to comprehend.

"I forgive you." Another voice rang in his ears and the raven looked up to meet the teal eyes of the Kazekage.

For the first time in a long time Sasuke took a very long look at the young red head. His eyes were brighter somehow more human than before. He was..so fragile looking but emitted an aura of strength in every way imaginable. The young man had taken the Uchiha's hand in his and proceeded to wipe away the tear ducts that had started to surround Sasuke's startled eyes.

The gesture awakened something within Sasuke a longing.

"I have never in my life seen you be sincere about anything Uchiha, but this proves you are capable of the smallest human gestures Sasuke-kun." The red head replied still wiping away the fast falling tears from the raven's eyes.

_'Gaara what is this feeling_?'The Uchiha wondered as he continued to watch the demon holder through tear veiled eyes.

"Naruto-kun, if there is anything you taught me is forgiveness...I believe that he has truly regretted his actions, do you not? Have you ever in your life seen Sasuke Uchiha cry? Do you not love him?" The red head looked up and as he did so the sand seized its hold on the blond and said blond stood looking down at his feet for a while before looking up at the two boys who mattered so much to him.

"I love..." He couldn't form the words. Was it possible to love two people? How could he choose, they both owned a part of him. That was the problem. He could not mend one heart and break another.

"Don't ask me to choose Gaara-kun, I can't." The kitsune spoke and slumped to the ground sitting against the tree. Shaking crying.

The red head looked confused for a moment and then realization dawned upon him. He looked at Sasuke anew. "I am not asking or suggesting you choose at all, is there not room for more than one person in your heart?" Gaara asked innocently, like a child so pure surprising everyone.

Taking subconscious hold of Sasuke's hand he lead them both towards the torn blond. Naruto looked up and met Gaara's gaze at the same time feeling his heart beat faster at seeing the two hands of the two he loved the most intertwined.

"I love you both, can't I have you both?" He asked surprising himself even more. The two boys holding hands opposite of him looked at each other and then back at the sobbing blond, one smiled and the others eyes lightened even more.

"Would we ask anything more of you?" Gaara asked.

"Could you have us both?" Sasuke followed squeezing the hand in his gently and smiling. The blond smiled weakly at first and then wider as both boys took a seat at either side of him.

"I'll love you if you love me." The blond said as he pressed his body against Gaara's and smelled Sasuke's sent yet again as said boy buried his face in the crook of his neck grasping Gaara's hand in his as well as Naruto's.

"Forever." The other two replied and as they did so the demon chakra reaseded into each of its holders and Gaara kissed the palm s of their hands so gently, so softly.


End file.
